


I Wish We'd Met Before

by howveryzoe (orphan_account)



Category: Heathers: The Musical - Murphy & O'Keefe
Genre: AU, Angst, I did not put enough characters in, I really don't know what I am doing with this story, Maybe HAppy ending, Or relationships, Romance, Tragedy, hope it will be, inspired by a line in dead girl walking reprise, lots - Freeform, oh well, want it to be good, we will see little children
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-17
Updated: 2014-12-23
Packaged: 2018-03-01 20:50:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2787311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/howveryzoe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>September 1st 1986, Dear Diary: What would have happened if they had met before? Before his mother committed suicide, before the abuse of his father really escalated. Before the grown ups convinced him they didn't care. Before life became hell. And before Veronica became a Heather. Before she left Martha. Before right and wrong were muddled. Meet a shy, awkward, depressed JD who is just as enigmatic but no where near as charismatic. A boy who's anger is just bubbling below the surface. A sarcastic, young, nerdy Veronica who is anxious for high school and thinks she can use snark to defend herself. Will she able to fix him before the world convinces him life is war or will his life end in the same tumultuous  explosion of murder as before? Is our fate really sealed?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

September 1st 1986, Dear Diary:

I haven't slept. Or ate. For a week. News flash: Veronica Sawyer is flipping a shit over high school. It's not like there will be any new kids, it's been the same kids my whole life. The perks and tortures of suburbia. And to be frank I am glad it's finally high school because then I can take Sophomore and Junior classes which are far more on my level than the basic crap I go in Junior High. Still I know high school will be different. Just a gut instinct. It's like I can tell some sort of transformation overcame my classmates and they became mutants or something. I can barely remember leaving the house this morning. It's like I'm walking on air or some shit like that. I grabbed toast at some point. And I believe I threw on a plaid skirt and a chunky sweater. My mom probably kissed my cheek and cried. Martha waited anxiously outside my house. She's trying to wear the latest fashion in acid washed denim jeans, but this is cancelled out with her commemorative The Princess Bride shirt and neon pink windbreaker. My large glasses sit in my messy hair. Martha laughs at my hair. She was at opera camp all summer and didn't see how long and unruly it got.

"You've got a jungle 'Ronnie!" She laughs. It isn't really that funny were just nervous. What do we talk about? School, boys, books, nerves. There is a constant unspoken in our conversation. Is our friendship going to last high school?

"Hey, Martha I just wanted to say I'm stoked were still friends." It's my lame attempt to try and express the unspoken. And it works for the moment until Dick 1 and Dick 2 show up. WOOSH, varsity jackets, nikes and gelled hair zips by. I immediately notice my book and Martha's bag are gone. shit. Can't those asshole quit for at least first period? There laughter sounds like nails on a chalkboard and I am so pissed I march right up to them.

"Hey, give me back my book and give my friend her bag!"

"Or what?" Kurt Kelly says stupidly.

"Just give me the book jerk."

"I'm sorry are you hitting on us slut? I don't want to get with nerd." Ram Sweeney interjects. He makes Kurt the brains by comparison.

"Ew, why do you think that any female interaction is sexual? I wouldn't bone you if it was just us and a goat left on earth. I would literally bone the goat."

"Wanna bone my goat?" Kurt cuts in. Before I can come up with a retort he is bumped into by a pale skin kid I don't know. He must be new. He has dark hair and sad eyes. He wears a band t-shirt and dark washed jeans.

"HEY WATCH IT," Kurt calls to him, dropping Martha's and my stuff in response.

"You did that on purpose didn't you punk?" Ram calls to the kid.

"Wanted to feel my dick, homo?" Kurt calls. The kid slowly turns around.

"No, just wanted you to not show it to someone who clearly doesn't want her morning ruined." The kid dead panes, barely looking up.

"What did you say to me fag?" Kurt says menacingly. Oh no, this is bad, I give the kid a pitying glance and then pick up my stuff and turn to Martha. She stands closer to me.

"I said I think the attention is kind of unwanted, I mean look at yourself." The kid laughs a little. Kurt turns to Ram.

"Hold his arms." In a flash Ram runs at the kid and pounces on him.

"Martha we need to go NOW." I hiss to her. I feel bad for the kid, who seemed pretty decent but no way am I getting beat up my first day of high school. I am not letting Martha go through that. We cross the street quickly. As we run to school I get a glimpse of Kurt punching the boy over and over while Ram holds him. He doesn't scream though, just stares stoically at me. I get the strangest urge to run and drag him away from them. Keep him safe. But  I resist and keep walking.

He's in a lot of my classes actually. We don't sit near each other. I wonder if we should be friends being as were the only freshmen in our classes but then I see his dark eyes and busted lip and bruises. I stay far away from him. I don't learn his name.

A month of school goes by and is as miserable as expected. Typically dick-ish-ness from Kurt and Ram, typically bitchiness and internalized misogyny from the teen goddesses known as the Heathers. It's so normal until that fateful day in chem. It didn't start out fateful. I was just going to the bathroom as usual. I swing the door open to the stall. And scream. There's the kid, with a noose around his neck.


	2. Chapter 2

His face is furrowed with agitation. Like he's contemplating a hard math problem. Funny, I think, the problem of life. If a=b should I hang myself? If I wasn't so scared I would have laughed purely of nerves. I didn't know what I expected him to do but as he sees me his face contorts to annoyance.

"Could you not have waited just 1 minute to take a dump?" He spits at me.

"Why?" Stupid Veronica, you know why.

"It'd be over by then, one quick jolt and then- SNAP!" He sounds venomous on the last word. "You'd be the girl who found me and everyone could ask you about it. You'd be popular."

"I wouldn't be popular, I'd be scarred for life." I say angrily. Who does he think he is?

"Poor you. Prepare to be scarred bitch." He steps forward. Oh shit no. No, no, no, no, NO. I am not watching this kid die. Not after what he did for me the first day of school, not without trying to save him.

"Wait! You-you-uh-you wont die fast that way!" I yell trying to stall him.

"What do you mean?" He steps back confused.

"Your neck almost never snaps when your hanged. The rope strangles you. It's pretty grisly and doesn't guarantee death. It someone tried to save you, you could live."

"Really?"

"Yeah and then you'd have to still face your problems. Or you could even go brain dead and live in a nursing home your whole life." My voice shakes. I must sound like a textbook. How the hell do I even know this? "You don't really want to die!" I scream frantically.

"What the fuck did you just say?" He's angry now.

"If you really wanted to die you would have done your homework on this. You want to live. You have something to live for!" Where the hell was I getting this bullshit?

"You don't know a thing about me. Don't talk about things you don't understand."

"Make me understand!"

"You don't really want to though. You just don't want to watch me die. You don't really care. Everyone here is like that. You all only care about yourself. Don't bother with the weird new kid, unless to beat the shit out of him or call him a fag. Laugh when he bleeds. Ensure that he cries. We have 5 classes together but you don't even know my name. It's Jason, Jason Dean, JD for short. Now you have something to tell the cops."

"Now someone knows your name." I say softly. "Don't leave it'll sound nice when I yell it in the hallways." I can hear it, hey Jay-Dee. Please God, let me be able to say it.

"You just know it you don't care."

"Yes I do."

"No you really don't. Nobody loves me. That's kind of the whole point."

"Surely your parents love you."

"My dad doesn't. He just views me as a means to an end. Something to break."

"Well prove to him your not broken."

"No, I'm entertainment. Without me he'll just get bored."

" Well then leave him, show him you can rise above him. It's only 4 more years."

"This is easier." I can't stand the defeat in his eyes.

"Your mother, she loves you!" I feel triumphant. Of course I have no reason to know this, but he never said she didn't

"My mother thinks I'm dead. She's crazy, she thinks I've become my father. It will be better this way. Easy for her to forget me if I'm really gone."

"I wont forget you or get bored. I remember you from the first day. Thank you for that. I didn't want to have to see Kurt Kelly's dick. Though I doubt there's much to see." He laughs a little on this line. "Please don't kill yourself, I wan to get to know you I honestly do. I'm sorry i haven't spoken to you since then. I've been scared. I guess I'm as weak as the rest of them. But so are you you're giving up."

"You would give up to if you had my parents. If you've moved all around the country and no matter where you go no one understands. I'm gonna be just like me dad. I should do this before I hurt other people like he did." 

"No one understood you, what about your home town?"

"I was born in Oklahoma, everyone is stupid there and only cares about the fucking status quo. Oh wait that's America."

"Then change it! God you are such an idiot! Let's try to be strong together, please." 

"Your crying." He says it plainly but with such shock.

"I guess I am asshole. You made me cry." I start wiping away the tears from my eyes. Shit he's going to die watching me cry. 

"No one's ever cried for me. No one but my mom." He steps forward and I cove my face with my hands, but then he steps  back. " How about this Veronica Sawyer? I know your name you just learned mine. I think you're beautiful but haven't been able to tell you. You care enough about me to cry. I'll give you till Christmas. Then I shoot myself in the head."

"Till Christmas for what?" I say tentatively removing my hands.

"Convince me to live." He unties the noose. "Shit, I'm hungry. Is this normal for suicide to make you hungry. You get out next?"

"Yeah," I say.

"Let's go get something to eat I know a great 7/11 down the road."

"Swanky." I say and he laughs. "One question." I ask as he walks toward the door.

"Yeah?"

"Why were you in the girl's bathroom?"

"I wanted you to find me." He says simply and swings open the stall. 

Dear Diary: Who the hell is this kid and why am I weirdly into his act?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was it good? Did it suck? Was it anti-climatic? I don't know tell me!


	3. Chapter 3

_**Just wanted to say soooo sorry this took so long the next ones will be up faster** _

It takes me a few minutes to realize I'm standing shell-shocked in an empty bathroom. My mouth is gaping open like an idiot. Quickly I run back to class. Ignore the teacher reprimanding me for staying in the bathroom to gossip with my friends. Ha, if only she knew. I try to pay attention but the periodic table is pretty bland compared to attempted suicide by the mysterious, weirdo new kid. Who is this  **kid?** "JD" he says. Like some character in  _The Outsiders._ He could be intimidating if he was taller or had more meat on his bones. I'm literally the shortest girl in my grade, so he's taller than me but all the boys are so much beefier than him. Besides he doesn't know when not to talk which is why his ass is getting kicked. He has some sort of complex I can't figure out. And he's ridiculously confusing. Who can just nonchalantly walk out of a suicide? It shouldn't be that easy. And what did he mean by he wanted me to find him? I kind of want to punch him. Yet here I am going to a goddamn 7/11 with him. Way to go Veronica. When the bell rings I nearly leap out of my seat. I grab my bag and run through the halls. SMACK! Blonde curls and red shoulder pads whip me in the face. Oh crap, I just bumped into the Red Queen herself. Heather Chandler, the leader of the Heathers, and her color-coded posse whip around. Hair perfect, lipstick on point, knee socks, blazers, high heels, one eyebrow raised and a permanent scowl. Heather McNamara and Heather Duke stand one either side of her, arms akimbo. They all hold coffee cups in their perfectly manicured hands, contraband really being as it's against school policy. But no policies apply to the Heathers. They walk through this school like queens. Untouchables.  **  
**

"Hello? Did you just bump into me?" Heather Chandler nearly snarls.

"I think she did Heather." Heather McNamara parrots.

"Heather's right Heather, I think she did it on purpose." Heather Duke cuts in nearly laughing.

"How rude. Though I guess the little nerd couldn't get her nose out of her textbook to watch where she was going." Heather Chandler says in a fake kind voice. Normally, I would just mumble a sorry and take whatever abuse they gave but today I am 100% done with letting people like them make people like JD tie nooses around their neck.

"Maybe you shouldn't stand in the middle of the hallway to gossip. You're stopping traffic, other people go here you know." I deadpan. Shock overcomes Heather Chandler's face but then twists into a fearsome glare. Oh no Veronica, bad move, very bad.

"Maybe your right or maybe it was because you wanted to make me do this." Heather Chandler says and throws her coffee at me. I gasp but before I can compose my self the other two follow suit. Heather Duke's coffee hit me in the face and I scream. It's nearly scalding hot. My clothes are drenched and I realize a crowd has gathered around us. My screams mingle with the Heather's, and eventually my other classmates laughter. Yup, if this happened to JD everyday I can see why he wanted to kill himself. Not too hard to figure out. 

"Have a nice weekend." Heather Chandler laughs as I run off. Do not cry Veronica, I think. Do not give them that satisfaction. It's nothing a laundry can't fix. It still hurts though. As I push open the door to leave school I see JD leaning against the steps reading a book. He looks so nonchalant you would never believe he was the same boy from the bathroom. His head pops out out of his book and stares at me as he hears the door open. 

"What happened to you?" He asks me angrily, ''You didn't spill that coffee on yourself."

"Just typical bitchiness from the lip gloss gestapo is all." I say trying to act as if I don't care. "It's fine they do shit like this to everyone."

"It doesn't make it okay. Some one needs to knock those girls down to reality and stop treating them like God's gift to the world."

"I tried and this is what happened!" I yell at him. "It's just being strong is hard. And people will do anything to hurt you! Those girls can make my life a living hell for four years straight!"

"Well, why do we let them? Why is it that when people see injustice they say they aren't going to fight it because they're afraid of it happening? That doesn't even make any sense! We're all just trapped in an endless cycle of every fucker on Earth beating us down!"

"GOD, JD CAN YOU JUST NOT MAKE BIG DECLARATIONS AND GO ON A GODDAMN DATE WITH ME!" I scream. He steps backwards shocked. "We can't have a single conversation without yelling can we?" He laughs and smiles a little.

"I guess not. I'm sorry."

"Me too."

"Wait is this a date?"

"I have no idea asshole."

"Oh." He ponders this for a moment and then begins to walk down the steps. I follow him.

"Hey, so what did you mean by all those things you said about me in the bathroom?" I ask tentatively. 

"Like what?" He says barely looking up from the floor.

"Like I don't know 'I'm beautiful,' what the hell does that mean?" I say with a little too much venom.

"It means your beautiful I guess."

"But you don't just say that sort of stuff."

"Don't you?"

"No. You might say I like you, or your hot, or do you wanna go out with me sometime. You don't say your beautiful." I say exasperated.

"Why can't people just say what they think? You liked that I said you were beautiful, I know you did." 

"You barely know me."

"I've known you for a month. I've seen you in class, you're not used to people calling you beautiful. Catcalls maybe, pretty once in while. But not beautiful. Well you are and people should just be decent to each other. It shouldn't be weird that I want to show someone my appreciation of them.  I mean as long as I do it in a non-creepy manner..." He trails off.

"You kind of failed at the non-creepy thing, no offense."

"None, taken I suppose."

"So, why 7/11s?"

"I haven't lived in one place for more than five months at best since I was seven years old. My parents are both insane, I have no friends and I'm suicidal. Nothing is constant in my life excluding two things: books and 7/11s. Every town in America has one. You can pop in for as long or as quick as you like. No one bothers you, I can just drink slushies, read some Baudelaire or maybe Vonnegut and when I'm really upset either _Lord of the Rings_ or  _Charlotte's Web_. It keeps me from not going insane and hurting anyone except occasionally myself." I try to push the darkness of his last comment out of my head. These are warning signs Veronica and you are ignoring them. So what?

"Vast choice in books. You wouldn't expect all of those from one person."  

"Well Baudelaire speaks to me like no tomorrow. Vonnegut is good for when I'm angry.  _Lord of the Rings_ is for when I need to forget the world and  _Charlotte's Web_ is to remind me of my childhood. My mom used to read it to me. Back when she still loved me. AH! Here we are." He pushes the door open with excitement and his eyes light up with excitement. I looked at literally the most dilapidated 7/11 I had ever seen in my life. The lights barely work on the logo, the steps are covered in litter, the walls have a strange brown substance seeping on them and all the food like 3 weeks old. JD clearly sees none of this. He waves at the old man at the counter.

"Jason! Back all ready! And with a girl too! I'm glad you're finally making friends, I know it has been so hard for you!" The man behind the counter says with a thick Italian accent. JD blushes shyly and smiles at the guy.

"Mr.Orefice your embarrassing me!" He replies but there is an air of joking instead of anger to his voice. I've never seen him like this, happy. He looks so in his element, normal even. Not ordinary but functional.

"I'm sorry it's my nature! My children are all grown and mature I have no one left to embarrass. And you're fun to tease Jason, so serious this one. So what's your name bella ragazza?"

"Uh-Veronica Sawyer. It's very nice to meet you sir." I respond.

"Nice to meet you too Veronica. I must say you have excellent choice in friends, Jason here seems weird and cold on the outside but on the inside he is molto carino!" The man smiles brightly as he speaks. I don't know exactly what he is saying but from JD's intensifying blush I assume it is something nice. "So, Jason, what brings you here today? Are you here for a quick bite or a long stay? Is this how you say a date?" He raises his eyebrows cheekily on this line.

"We're undecided on the date matter. But yes this is a long stay." JD tells him.

"Well everything is free as always. No! Jason don't protest your parents do not feed you nearly enough! It is my job to ensure your cholesterol level raises, after all you won't stay for long I know so I need to keep you healthy till you leave."

"Wait-you're moving!" I interject hoping I heard wrong.

"One of the downsides of your father running a demolition company. Never stay in one place. I though I made that clear earlier." JD says sullenly.

"Yeah, sorry I just thought Sherwood was different." The room fills with an awkward silence.

"Enough of this gloomy talk! Come, eat,life is short! Jason, bring your date to the regular spot, I'll fix you something to eat." Mr.Orefice leads us to the back of the shop where an empty milk carton is turned over between two ugly pillows and a rug on the floor. It is in a nook between the aisles and books are spread about it. I can tell that this is JD's heaven. This is what gets him up at all. He plops himself down and leans back. I follow suit. A few minutes later Mr.Orefice arrives with slushies, nachos and hot dogs. He gives a quick promise not to bother us and takes his place behind the cashier.

"So, we've talked far too much about me, tell me about yourself." JD says as he takes a bite of a nacho. I bring my lips from the straw of my slushie and meet his eyes.

"Well, what do you want to know?" I ask.

"Everything, where were you born? Have you ever left Ohio? What's life like here? Who are your friends? What books do you like? What are your plans for you existence? I don't know, all that superficial shit." 

"Well, I was born here and I never left. My parents are just kind of lazy and boring so we don't go on vacation farther than Columbus. Life here is as you would expect tedious and full of ignorant assholes who just don't really understand anything. But it's only four more years. And I probably have enough credits to graduate early so I'm gonna do that and leave as early as I can. As for friends really just Martha, she's been my friend since diapers and she's a true one. She would never sell me out for the Heathers or something like that. When it comes to books probably all books but I guess my favorite is,  _A Clockwork Orange_ or  _A Little Princess_. Which are total contradictions but whatever. Plans for my existence I suppose are, ugh, I don't know. Like, I want to be a writer but my parents are like not so cool about that. And they want me to like marry well or become a lawyer or some shit. That's all I guess. What about you?"

"Well you know the answer to the first three. As for friends you I guess. Books you know. And my plans for my existence, I guess involve living past Christmas and not being like my parents. Doing a little good for the world while I'm at it." 

"I guess that's a good plan. Hey, how'd you get so close with Mr.Orefice?"

"I don't look like I have the social skills to make a friend like that in a month right?"

"Uh..."

"It's fine, I don't. I came here the night of the first day of school. My dad wouldn't let me in the house 'cause I was all beat up. Said the blood would stain the carpet. So I came here. Mr.Orefice asked me if I was okay and he took care of me. Later in the evening we saw some seniors try to break in and steal the register. I took the register and hide it. Then I called the cops and hit the kids from behind with some boxes I found in the shop. We've been best friends ever since."

"Wow. That's a very, well, Jason Dean type of story."

"Heh, yeah, the extreme always seems to makes an impression. Hey can I ask you one more question?"

"Sure."

"Is this a date?" He looks up at me tentatively. I answer him with kiss. My first and clearly his. Our first.

"Okay, yeah." He says blushing. I smile back at him. He leans in again as the door swings open and the cold October air rushes into the 7/11.

"Where the hell is my son he needs to get home pronto if he wants to keep his backside!" I hear a loud imposing voice with a slight southern drawl. JD tenses next to me.

"The beaver's home." He says as the man leans over us.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> JD reads Charlotte's Web because that is what "Greetings and Salutations" is a reference to. He is such a dork like for real. Not only that but in the movie when we see him in his room building the bomb he has a hamster cage with a wheel. GUYS. GUYS! JD is a 17 year old boy who quotes classic kids books and has a hamster do not tell me he is not really just a nerdy little dork who the universe has twisted into a crazy murderer


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BTW Mr.Orefice is a reference to Life is Beautiful, a heart breaking Italian movie about the holocaust that you should all watch because it is both sad and hilarious at times as well as romantic. Giosue Orefice is the name of the son from that movie

His breath reeks of beer. His face is partially shaven and he wears a dirty red track suit, the expensive brand name kind. His hair is speckled with gray but his eyes are youthful in almost disturbing manner. He is nearly three heads taller than JD and the boy looks even shorter standing next to him. It is clear to me immediately that this so called beaver is JD's dad. It's just the manner they look at each other with. Or maybe their eyes have a similar glint that scares the living shit out of me. I expected JD to shirk in the presence of this repulsive giant but instead he whips his head around to face him. He meets his father's gaze with his token bile filled glare. But I see his hands quiver next to mine. His father scares him more than any of our school's typical assholes.

" **What** do you want!?" JD barks at him. I nearly jump. His dad comes closer to him, moving unevenly.

"You, home, now!" His dad slurs loudly. "Your  mother is flipping a shit and I need your help shutting her up." JD sighs.

"She doesn't listen to me I can't help." JD replies exasperated.

"Well she asked for you so get your ass home pronto."

"I've told you a million times. She doesn't believe it's me."

"Listen, sport!" He spits the last word. "She won't let me back in the house until you come home. So help me God, if I have to spend the night on the street both you and that bitch will have hell to pay!"

"Don't talk about my mother that way!" JD screams. His dad's hand goes flying across his mouth. I shriek as he falls back into me and I try to grab him with my arms. His body feels small but still heavy against mine and his eyes are steeled with anger. Mr.Orefice steps forward and I can see that this has happened before.

"Get up, don't be pathetic. I have a business to run and we need to get home." His father says looking at him icily as if nothing had happened. JD climbs out of my lap without even looking down out at me. I want to hurt this man I really do. As they start to walk out JD turns suddenly and looks as if he wants to say something to me. But his dad grabs his ear and pulls him out there door. I can hear them arguing and yelling all the way to the car. Every time I hear a smack Mr.Orefice flinches as if he himself has been hit. As we hear the car's engines rev up he turns to me. 

"No good that man, no good for Jason. He's going to hurt him so bad he will look in the mirror and not see himself." Mr.Orefice says to me gravely. "And that might be nothing we can do to stop it. But you try you hear me? You try with all your might!" He looks as if he might shake me and I nod feverishly and head for the door barely mumbling goodbye. I run home so fast the wind burns my throat.

The dread going to school that morning but are dragged out of bed by my mother and find myself back in the halls with the same skin crawling anxiety as yesterday. Of course now I have pissed off the most popular girl in school and...whatever with JD. As I head to my first class I hear a voice call out after me.

"Hey, skank, yeah you, turn around!" Kurt Kelley's voice rings out through the halls. "I heard you pissed off my girlfriend yesterday."

"I'm really in a rush. Can you harass me later please?" I mutter trying to keep walking but him and Ram block my way.

"Hey, hey take it slow no need to think we're going to harass you! Just wanted to talk to you." Ram says walking towards me in such a way that I am forced to back into the wall. "I like a woman who knows what she is doing. Your not like the other girls. I bet if we took off your glasses and some other things you'd be a real prom queen." Ram says, putting his arm over my head. I find myself blushing feverishly. If only they would go away, I pray. Please just go the fuck away. Kurt laughs a little.

"Please move dick, I need to get to class." I say trying to muster up a little courage to no avail. Kurt just moves in closer.

"Why are you being such a bitch? Ram only complimented you! Take a goddamn compliment!" Kurt barks at me.

"Are you some kind of frigid virgin or something? Because you are being such a prude right now." Ram says. My forehead begins to get the itchy feeling it always has when I'm under stress and I feel so hot like I need to take a jacket off. "Come on, I can make you feel like a slut." He leans in, but suddenly is pulled back.

"Hey, Ram cut it out!" A voice cuts through the halls and I look to see Heather McNamara grabbing at his shoulders. Kurt has scurried off after spotting Chandler  yelling for him down the hall. Ram looks as shocked as I am and removes his arm from where it rested over my head.

"The hell babe?" He says to her angrily.

"I'm not your babe if you pull shit like this!"She shrieks. She stops quickly and breathes, staring at her feet blushing. "Call me later okay? I'm sorry blew up."

"Jesus babe, are you on your period or something?" Ram mutters just loud enough for us to hear as he strides off to class. I'm left with her staring at me as I grab my books. I look up at her as she stares hard at me, unsure of what to do next.

"Um, thanks for that-" I begin to say but she cuts me off.

" **Never** mention this again, you hear me? To anyone. Ever. We're not friends so don't even try to say hi to  me. I need to go to class." She runs off, her short cheer-leading skirt bouncing behind her. I am left as shell shocked as yesterday in the bathroom. Heather McNamara is the best of the popular kids. She is only mean on command and is known to be sweet and ditsy if you get to know her. In general people just view her as weak. But this,  _this,_ was not weakness. No this was well, powerful. No one stands up to Kurt or Ram, especially not their girlfriends. None of it made sense Sure, conceivably, though it was a stretch, Heather McNamara had this kind of internal strength but why show it to now? And even more so why help me? While she has nothing against me she has nothing for me either. And Chandler takes a lot of pleasure in making my life hell. Why would she go against the goddamn Queen of Hearts to help me? It makes zero sense. Still I make my way to class right before the bell.

I walk towards the back where JD is sitting. The class is mostly Juniors so no one really cares about the short freshman's change of seat. I turn to him. His eye is blacked out and his face is discolored with purple and yellow bruises. I can see him trying not to look at me.

"Oh my God, what happened are you okay?" I say as he shifts in his chair as I take out my bag. He glares at me.

"What do you think? I walked into a fucking door is that what you want to hear? No, maybe I fell down a flight of stairs, or I tripped on my way to bed and hit a table?" He hisses at me, trying to not draw the teacher's attention.

"Jesus! I'm sorry I just wanted to know if you were okay!" I nearly yell and then glance at the teacher who is writing on the board at the front.

"Well, whoop-dee-doo I'm not! You know well and good what happened. Do you need me to say it? Yeah Veronica it was my dad okay? So what? We can't stop him and I'm not dead yet!" He pulls his books out slamming them on the table as he speaks. The blood rushes to my face and I whip my head around enraged.

"You know if you're going to openly be an asshole to everyone that wants you around then, guess what? No one is going to want you around! Contrary to popular belief JD, I care about you! And if me showing you a little goddamn compassion is going to make you blow up then I really have no need to-"

"Ms.Sawyer if you could save your domestic drama for outside of the class that would be lovely." The teacher says turning to me with a condescending smile. I hear the laughs of the juniors and feel myself internally melting. As the teacher begins the lesson JD turns to me sheepishly.

"Sorry about that." He whispers.

"Yeah you should be." I glare. He sighs and runs his fingers through his hair awkwardly. 

"Let me make it up to you?" He says.

"How?" I say icily. "A trip to another 7/11? Or are you going to try to hang yourself again? Ooh maybe we can go home and have dinner with your very functional dad! You know when it comes to ways of getting a girls attention you sort of suck. Don't make it up to me. Sit with me at lunch and not blow up for a 45 minutes and I'll think about going somewhere with you this afternoon. Now just nod don't verbally respond. I enjoy this class and want to pay attention." I barely see his tentative nod before I stick my head into my book. I don't what is with me, I'm usually less ballsy with boys but I am just kind of done with this kid's bullshit. 

I don't see him again till lunch. He is already at the table with Martha when I get there. She is clearly uncomfortable by his presence and as I walk over she looks at me confused.

"Hey, Ronnie." Martha says awkwardly. 

"Uh, hi. Martha, this is JD. He transferred this year. We have a bunch of classes together." I tell her. He raises his hand at her in a wave on the mention of her name.

"Oh, yeah aren't we in uh, Global together?" She offers.

"Yeah, I think so." JD says.

"Well, uh, I'm gonna go get lunch so you two uh, wait here I guess." Martha says and looks at us both clearly unable to know what to say next. She watches us for a moment before walking off to the lunch line. JD turns to me as I sit down.

"So, how long have you two been friends?" He asks casually.

"Diapers, why do you ask?" I say.

"Just curious. I haven't ever really made a friendship like that because I've been moved around my whole life." He says.

"Oh cut the pity trip, I get it I'm your first friend, your first kiss. You're very lonely I get it." I tell him.

"Shit, Veronica! You don't have to be so awful about it." He says turning to his book scowling. I feel guilty but are still fuming from earlier. 

"Hey, look I'm sorry I'm just having a bad day. Kurt and Ram were being dicks and I'm kind of fed up." I say.

"Sorry, do you want me to mess them up?" He says jokingly and I laugh.

"S-u-r-e, 'cause that would work. I can take care of myself." Just then I hear a shout across the cafeteria. Martha is covered in mashed potato and the Heathers are laughing nearby. I catch McNamara's eye and she looks uncomfortable with her actions. I glare back and stand up. "What is your damage Heather? Leave her the hell alone!" I yell. I feel like the whole grade is turning to look at me. I begin to heat up and barely notice as Duke throws the remaining mashed potatoes on me.  _Holy shit,_ I think. As the room erupts in laughter I feel strange. Isolated but also as though I am on the cusp of something. Of not being a nobody but being something more, and maybe, I begin to realize, this isn't so bad. Maybe I've gained some power. I catch JD's eye who is rising to come over to me. 

"Shit, Veronica, shit I am so sorry." He says as we run out of the room.

"It's okay, but I think we should take advantage of this." I say a plan forming in my head.

"How so?" He smiles but looks confused.

"We can't let Heather treat people like this. I can't go unnoticed or un-harassed anymore so I have nothing to lose. I think we should do something, can you get some more of the mashed potatoes? I have an idea." He smiles at me in understanding. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah I know this is very OOC but were you the person you were 3 years ago, especially if those three years were in high school, the height of your development. Besides, psychopaths like JD almost always start out as shy, nerdy kids no one expects anything of. I am so excited to write this!


End file.
